Sat. Oct 12th, 2024

LEGAL AFFAIRS

LATEST NEWS

Financial Markets: EU Commission consults on sustainable finance disclosures

The European Commission has today launched a targeted consultation and a public consultation to seek feedback on the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). The SFDR, which has been in application since March 2021, sets out how financial intermediaries, such as asset managers, have to communicate sustainability information to investors. It is designed to bring more transparency to the market and enable investors to make informed choices.

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14/09/2023

EU Court of Justice Judgment in Case C-27/22 – Volkswagen Group Italia and Volkswagen AG

The Court considers that the limitation of the application of the principle ne bis in idem is allowed, so as to permit a duplication of proceedings or penalties in respect of the same facts, where three conditions are satisfied: such duplication must not represent an excessive burden for the person concerned; clear and precise rules must make it possible to predict which acts or omissions are liable to be subject

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14/09/2023

Refusal of the maternity supplement: EU Court of Justice Judgment in Case C-113/22 – TGSS

By its judgment delivered today, the Court of Justice notes first of all that, where discrimination contrary to EU law has been established and as long as measures reinstating equal treatment have not been adopted, the national courts and the national administrative authorities must set aside any discriminatory provision of national law, without having to await its removal by the legislature. Therefore, they must apply to members of the disadvantaged

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14/09/2023

EU Court of Justice: Advocate General’s opinion in Case C-115/22 – NADA e.a.

In today’s Opinion, Advocate General Tamara Ćapeta first addresses the admissibility of that reference. The Advocate General considers that the USK constitutes a ‘court or tribunal’ within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU. In fact, the Advocate General considers that, in the circumstances of the case at hand, that body even constitutes a ‘court or tribunal’ against whose decisions there are no legal remedies under the third subparagraph of Article

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14/09/2023

EU Court of Justice: Judgment in Case C-83/22 – Tuk Tuk Travel

In today’s judgment, the Court of Justice points out first of all that the directive obliges a travel organiser to notify the traveller, inter alia, of his or her right to terminate the contract. Next, the Court of Justice states that, given the significance of the right to terminate the contract conferred by the directive (and the further right to the full refund of payments made), its effective protection requires

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14/09/2023

Finland: FCCA to assist the EU Commission in combating foreign subsidies distorting competition

Under the proposal, the FCCA would also act as the national contact point in situations where the Commission is not aware of which national authority or contracting entity the request for information should be addressed to. Notwithstanding secrecy provisions, the FCCA would have the right to obtain information from other national authorities and contracting entities in accordance with the Regulation and forward it to the Commission.

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13/09/2023

Agriculture: EU Commission approves a new GI from Hungary – ‘Sárréti kökénypálinka’

The Commission approved the addition of ‘Sárréti kökénypálinka’as Geographical Indication (GI) from Hungary. ‘Sárréti kökénypálinka’ is a fruit spirits with a minimum alcoholic strength of 38,5% V/V and a volatile substance content of at least 250 g/hl of 100% vol. alcohol. It is a pálinka with a rich volatile substance content and an aroma reminiscent of sloe flower. ‘Sárréti kökénypálinka’ is full-bodied, with notes of almond and marzipan, and is

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13/09/2023

Russia’s war: EU Council prolongs individual sanctions over territorial integrity for a further six months

The existing restrictive measures provide for travel restrictions for natural persons, the freezing of assets, and a ban on making funds or other economic resources available to the listed individuals and entities. Sanctions will continue to apply to almost 1 800 individuals and entities altogether, many of which are targeted in response to Russia’s ongoing unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine.

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13/09/2023

BEFIT: New rules to reduce tax costs for cross-border businesses up to 65%

Today’s proposal, called “Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation” (BEFIT), will make life easier for both businesses and tax authorities by introducing a new, single set of rules to determine the tax base of groups of companies. This will reduce compliance costs for large businesses who operate in more than one Member State and make it easier for national tax authorities to determine which taxes are rightly due. The

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12/09/2023

MEPs confirm Iliana Ivanova as new Commissioner

On 5 September, the Industry, Research and Energy Committee and the Culture and Education Committee held a three-hour hearing with Iliana Ivanova to assess her suitability to replace Mariya Gabriel, who resigned as EU Commissioner on 15 May to become Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Bulgaria.

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12/09/2023

Donations and treatments: New safety rules for substances of human origin

MEPs adopted the report on new rules governing the use of so-called substances of human origin (SoHO) in the EU, with 483 votes in favour, 52 against and 89 abstentions. The measures apply to substances – such as blood and its components (red/white cells, plasma), tissues and cells – used for transfusions, therapies, transplantations or medically assisted reproduction.

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12/09/2023

MEPs adopted new rules protecting consumers from taking on too much debt

The new directive on consumer credits (CCD), already agreed between Parliament and Council negotiators in December 2022, aims to make the credit markets function smoothly while ensuring a high level of consumer protection. The legislation that will cover credit agreements of up to €100,000, was adopted with 608 votes in favour, 8 against and 15 abstentions.

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12/09/2023

MEPs approve new rules protecting geographical indications of EU crafts

The new rules on the geographical indication (GI) of the names of local craft and industrial products with specific qualities will protect locally renowned non-food products such as lace, glass, natural stones, jewellery or porcelain EU-wide and globally. They will close the gap between diverging national systems while increasing consumers’ awareness and strengthening producers’ competitiveness. The new scheme – already agreed on by European Parliament and the member states in

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12/09/2023

S&Ds on new credit market law and consumer protection

Thanks to the S&Ds, the scope of the proposal has been preserved and it will no longer be possible for creditors to use sensitive data or data collected from social networks when carrying out ‘Creditworthiness assessment obligations’. Our group also managed to prohibit the advertising of credit targeted at over indebted consumers.

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12/09/2023

MEPs vote to strengthen EU defence industry through common procurement

The regulation, already agreed with the Council on 27 June 2023, establishes a short-term instrument for the reinforcement of the European defence industry through common procurement until 31 December 2025. It will help member states to fill their most urgent and critical defence needs, which have been exacerbated by transfers of defence products to Ukraine, in a voluntary and collaborative way.

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12/09/2023

EU Parliament: One step closer to fifteen additional MEPs from 12 countries

A European Council decision foresees 720 seats in the European Parliament after the next elections. If accepted, there would be more seats for France, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Poland, Finland, Slovakia, Ireland, Slovenia, and Latvia. The European Council’s proposal was based on the EU Parliament’s report of June 2023 which was prompted by demographic changes in the EU since the 2019 elections.

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11/09/2023

UNOPS to close its operations in Helsinki

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) will close its office in Helsinki by the end of 2023. The Social Impact Investing Initiative, managed by UNOPS, was discontinued already at the start of the year due to a corruption case. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) founded an office in Helsinki in 2019 for its Social Impact Investing Initiative (S3i) programme. The programme was to attract private

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08/09/2023

Netherlands: EU Commission approves €132m to promote energy saving investments in glasshouse horticulture

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €132 million scheme to support energy saving in glasshouse horticulture. The aim of the scheme is to support companies engaged in glasshouse horticulture in the construction of new net-energy-neutral glasshouses, as well as in the upgrading of existing glasshouses to make them more energy-efficient.

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08/09/2023

Agriculture: EU Commission approves ‘Milas Yağlı Zeytini’ from Türkiye as new PDO 

‘Milas Yağlı Zeytini’ protected designation of origin covers table olives of the Memecik variety grown in Milas province, fermented in brine and preserved with olive oil obtained from Memecik variety olives and fresh lemon slices. ‘Milas Yağlı Zeytini’ olives are fully ripened, black/purple coloured, whole and split vertically. The specificity of the product is closely linked to the climatic conditions of the region and to the local knowhow. The production

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08/09/2023

NextGenerationEU: EU Commission receives first payment request from Ireland for €323.8m under the RRF

This first payment request relates to 36 milestones and five targets. These cover numerous investments, for instance in the area of jobs and skills through a work placement experience programme, a programme for green skills, and strengthening the capacity of Technological Universities. Investments also concern the digital transition, through the digitalisation of public administration and the connection of schools to the broadband network. In terms of the green transition, they

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08/09/2023
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